|
AUGUSTA – United Way of Kennebec Valley (UWKV) revealed a record-breaking fundraising achievement, announcing a total of $1,910,377 for its 2023 campaign. This amount reflects a substantial 4% increase over the previous year’s total. The announcement was made on Thursday morning, Jan. 18, during UWKV’s sold-out Campaign Celebration at Governor Hill Mansion, where Campaign Co-Chairs Michele Pelletier and Daniel Webster III shared the exciting news.
Pelletier, president & CEO of Performance Foodservice – NorthCenter, and Webster, retired from the State of Maine, played a pivotal role in encouraging new donors from the community to contribute to United Way. Their initiative included a personal dollar-for-dollar match for new contributions, up to $10,000, resulting in 311 new donors and an additional $48,768 in new funds for UWKV’s annual fundraising efforts.
"We are beyond proud of our community for blowing this goal out of the water,” said Webster. “To see so many new donors in a year with steep inflation, environmental disasters and many nonprofits asking for support of capital campaigns, is truly remarkable and a testament to where we live."
The funds raised during the campaign will have a significant impact on supporting UWKV’s 58 health and human service programs across Kennebec County throughout 2024. These programs focus on enhancing access to health, education and financial stability for all, aligning with the goals of the Impact2032 movement – a community-wide initiative dedicated to creating lasting, positive change throughout the county.
These programs combined serve more than 32,000 people in Kennebec Valley – many of them identifying as ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, an acronym for people in the community who have income above the Federal Poverty Level but struggle to afford the basics in their county. In Kennebec County, 42% of households live below that ALICE Threshold, while only 12% of that figure are people living in poverty. The event featured a testimonial from Sara Wing, a Kennebec County resident who identifies as ALICE.
“We were without power for over 30 hours after the ‘Grinch Storm,’” said Wing. “We lost everything in our fridge and freezer, and this happened right before Christmas, which is already a huge financial strain on us. We are still trying to recover.”
Wing’s story is just one from the thousands of Kennebec County households that cannot make ends meet. As part of UWKV’s work, the organization is advocating for public policy changes to provide more recognition and resources to ALICE families across the state.
|
